Industrial 3D printing (additive manufacturing) has been around since the 1980s. However recent advances in 3D bioprinting, i.e. the additive manufacturing of tissues and organs, is about to open up a whole new realm of possibilities. This article offers a status report on current successes in addressing the unique technical challenges to 3D bioprinting of tissues and organs, as well as the legal challenges to implementing use of such materials in humans.